Double Image
by Fabius Maximus
Summary: If one Molly is a handful... than what about two....
1. Default Chapter

Double Image.

            All characters are copyright, the Disney Corp. and no challenge is implied in their use in this fanfic. 

            Molly woke up.  In a dumpster. Covered with Garbage. 

            "Eughhh!" The 14 year old said, in horror, looking at her self.  She quickly leaped out of the dumpster, tripping and landing flat on her face in the alley. What was wrong with her?  Her backside felt like it was freezing in the breeze.

            "I feel…awful."  Molly said, leaning against the dumpster. She felt worse than when she'd caught pneumonia and mom had taken her in to the hospital.  Her stomach lurched, and she shuddered, barely catching herself before she  puked all over her… hospital gown?  The type that had no back…

            "EEP!"  Molly quickly spun around putting her back to the wall, and peered down the dark alley to make certain she hadn't given anybody a free show.  Where was she? Where were her _clothes?_  It was dark out, and that meant it was well past 8-- on a school night.  She was so dead….  Molly looked around, found a ragged, bad smelling piece of fabric that wasn't _too_ rancid, and used it to cover herself.  Then she set off…for home.  At least on a weekday there wouldn't be too many people to see her.

            Molly managed to make it home with no accidents, fortunately, although she felt even worse.  She went up the stairs nonetheless-- Mom was going to kill her anyway, but it would be worse if she scared someone into a heart attack-- or calling the police.   Up at the landing, she briefly confronted her lack of a key, but quickly when to the hiding place where Mom kept the spare.    Opening the door, Molly peered into the darkness, before snapping the light on.

            "Mom?" Molly called softly.  No way would Mom be in bed-- maybe she was with Baloo?  Maybe they were looking for her?  Molly started to the phone, but a warning lurch from her stomach stopped her, and a look in the mirror did more than that.

            She was awful-- stuff was in her hair, and her eyes looked shadowed… if Mom saw her, and the clothes (or lack thereof) she was in, Grounding would be the least she could expect.  A horrible thought hit Molly-- some of the kids had been joking about getting drunk and making dares-- was this what people meant when they said _hangover?_  She did know that sometimes people couldn't remember what had happened. 

            "Oh God…I'm dead twice over." She moaned, if that had been the reason. Molly stopped herself. First, take a quick shower and get presentable, so that most of the evidence was absent, than call Higher For Hire, and take her medicine…and in the meantime try to remember what had happened.

             Molly ran to her room, after stripping off the awful clothes and shoving them down the trash can, and after grabbing her robe, ran to the shower.  In a moment, the sound of splashing water filled the bathroom.

            The door to the apartment opened, and Rebecca walked in, and paused. She could have sworn that she'd left the lights off.

            "Molly honey, did you leave the lights on?"  Her daughter looked up at the light and shrugged in confusion.  Molly didn't need more than one of Becky's "Electricity is money young lady!" lectures to remember to turn off the lights.

            "No mom."  Molly said.  "But maybe we both forgot-- remember why we had to leave."    Becky nodded.  Baloo had been late again-- and this time with a load of "top secret Thembrian secrets" according to that odious little Spigot.  Then when they'd gotten it to the location, the fact that they were missing a single signature on form 111-3a/b forced them to come all the way back and lock it in the warehouse.  That was two days ago, and Spigot had been there the whole time.  Now, they'd finally gotten the load out, and Spigot out of their hair, even though he'd especially yelled at Molly. 

            "I wondered why he was so angry?"  Molly said, "I'd just touched on of the boxes." 

            "I don't know, honey, but you know Thembrians."  Molly nodded.  "I'm going to put a pot of water on Molly-- you should get ready for bed."

            "Mom…It's Friday!" Molly protested.

            "And staying up late will help you, how?" Rebecca asked, "Besides being tired tomorrow, so you oversleep."  Molly paused, and laughed at that.

            "OK, Mom." She said, heading towards her room.        Half way there, she noticed that the door to the bathroom was open, and there was…water on the floor? Molly blinked. How could that be?  They hadn't been here all day!  She turned and looked at the carpet, the faint impression of damp footprints leading a trail into her room. Silently, Molly followed it.  The light was on in her room as well, and Molly stepped in, to see who was in her room.  The first thing she noticed was that her bathrobe, the good one, was lying on the bed used.  That banished any fear-- someone was going to die.

            Turning around, she blinked.  There she was, looking back at her.

            "I didn't put a mirror here… " Molly said to herself and reached out a finger. 

            She noticed three things.

1. That the figure in the mirror had her hair up in a towel.

2. That the figure had mirrored Molly's motion, raising a finger.

3. And that when the two fingers touched, Molly felt warm flesh, not a cold mirrored surface.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter II

            Part II.

             Molly opened her mouth to scream, as did her doppleanger, when a voice spoke from the hall.

            "Molly, honey, do you want some hot chocolate?"  Realizing the other would probably say something to bring Mom in, and she didn't want that, Molly lashed out with a hand to cover the other's mouth-- just as the other did the exact same thing. 

            "Molly?"  Great.  Molly had to speak.  She pulled the hand off of her mouth, just like the other did.

            "No mom… I'm OK right now."  Rebecca cocked her head. There'd seemed to be a stereo quality to her daughter's voice, like it was coming out of two mouths. She had been working too long, Becky thought, and walked back to the kitchen.

            "Who are-"  They stopped.

            "I'"  They stopped again.  Blinked, then Molly took a deep breath and holding her hand up to keep the other from imitating her, spoke.

            "Who are you?"

            "Who Am I? Who are _you?"_  The both stopped and looked at each other, then Molly started speaking.

            "I'm Molly Cunningham, and I spent all day with mom after I got out of school and then I came home to find…you!"  The other looked at her and put her hands on her hips.

            "Well, _I'm_  Molly Cunningham, and I woke up in a dumpster, and came back home-- to find _you_ pretending to be me!"

            "Not even!"  Molly said, "You were probably going to try and bushwack me in my sleep and take my place you…"  She decided not to say what she was going to. 

            "Hah!  You probably knocked me out!"

            "Well, I'm Molly and I know it for certain!"

            "Oh, how?" 

            "I remember things only I could. Like the time I found Henry and-"

            "Brought it home to play mom with because I wanted to take care of him like I hoped Mom would me."  The other finished.  Molly blinked. The other started up again.

            "But there was also the time when Baloo promised me the peppermint fairy would come and he-"

            "-had lied and was going to bring it up himself."  Both Molly's started to look a little pale.  

            "OK, here's one nobody else could know. I followed Kit-"

            "Behind the theatre because I wondered what he was doing with Kathy and then we saw him and her…"  Molly turned red. The other Molly was just as red and they let that particular memory go.

            "Are you… me?"  Molly asked the one with the towel around her hair.

            "I…don't know.  I think I'm me, but than who are you? And if you're me who am I, I-" She closed her mouth, aware that she was babbling.   She started up again, "I remember it was Wednesday and-"

            "Wednesday?  It's _Friday."  _Molly said, looking at herself.  She paused. "We need to figure out something else to call each other besides "Molly", it's confusing."  The other one tensed.

            "Well, what do you suggest? That's _My_ name."  Molly said.  

            "How about if we call one of "us" Elizabeth?  That's our name as well."  

            "And how do we decide who gets to be called Elizabeth?"

            "We'll flip for it!"  Molly said, holding up a silver dollar from her dresser. The other one gave her a look that said: "you bloody idiot." 

            "Right-- you mean the trick coin Baloo gave us?  No way, lets try an _honest_ coin."

            "Oh all right." Molly said, getting another.  Five minutes later, "Elizabeth" was sitting on the side of the bed, finishing toweling off her hair.  Molly tried to keep a smile from her face-- she knew exactly how Elizabeth would react to _that._

            "So what do we do?"  Molly said, wondering that she was handling this so well-- be it was just like the-

            "Episode where Danger woman faced the unstoppable clone army."  Elizabeth completed her thought aloud.  Molly frowned.

            "Would you stop that?"  She asked.

            "Because it bugs you?"

            "Yes!  I don't like thinking that someone knows everything I knew-- it's-"

            "Nervewracking?  Don't I know it-- you could go telling everyone about my-"

            "our"

            "Okay, our secrets."  Elizabeth blew her forelock out of her face. "This is really… um, odd."

            "You said it."  Molly paused, "And we'd better find out what's happened."       

            "Tell mom?"

            "You must be a copy if you really think that-- what'd she do?"

            "Panic, faint, call Baloo to blame him, and then call him back to ask for help."

            "She could call Taddy…"  Both shared a look of ultimate disgust at the name of Becky's newest boyfriend.  Elizabeth put her hand out in an incredibly effeminate gesture.

            "'Oh Rebecca, I would be there instantly, my sweet.'"  She started, and then without missing  a beat, Molly joined in a chorus,

            "'But I simply cannot leave the house with my hair looking like this.'"  They both stuck their tongues out at the memory.

            "So we don't tell mom."  Molly said, "But what happened?"  Elizabeth shrugged. 

            "I don't know-- I woke up in a dumpster, managed to get back here, and took a shower-- I figured mom would be out and I could tell her what happened looked clean-- I didn't want to panic her."  Molly nodded at that-- it was exactly what she would have done.

            "But who made you?"

            "Who made me? How are you certain they didn't make _you._"

            "Well I've been with mom for the last two days."

            "All the time?"

            "Well… most of the time."

            "Are you certain."  Molly gave an exasperated sigh.

            "_OK, _I'm not certain-- are you satisfied?"

            "Yes!" Elizabeth said with a smirk.  Molly thought about how obnoxious 'she' looked with that self satisfied look on her face and shuddered.  No wonder some people ran when they saw her.  

            "So what do we do?"

            "Well…"  Elizabeth said, thinking, "We were at  Higher For Higher, with the Thembrian shipment and I-er, you, oh heck somebody, touched that crate-- and Spigot blew up."

            "that's your last memory?"

            "After that, I got to spend time in a dumpster in a hospital gown."  Elizabeth smacked herself in the head, "And I threw it in the trash-- lets go get it."

            "Because maybe there are some clues in it!"  Molly said excitedly, "This is just like the episode where-"

            "Danger woman lost her memory in the fortress of destruction!"  They both looked at each other and realized that whatever happened, they'd finally found someone who liked the Dangerwoman show, comics, trivia and movies as much as they did.  Then both their faces got more serious-- they were _in_ a Dangerwoman show-- only without any assurance that everything would turn out alright before the end. 

            "Right-- I'll go get the clothes."  Molly said, "your hairs still damp and there wasn't enough time for me to take a shower." 

            "OK… I'll wait." Elizabeth said, moving to a part of the room where nobody from the hall could see her.  Molly stepped out, and saw her Mom working one some financial documents.  Rebecca looked up at her daughter and gave a slight frown.

            "Not ready for bed?"  Molly looked at her and once again noticed how she looked tired.  Mom would be up at least two more hours, if the stack of work next to her was any indication.  The glasses perched on her nose were a result of too many years of that, Molly was certain.

            "I, uh, threw away something by mistake, I'm going to get it."  Molly paused, "Mom, why don't we hire an accountant?  You can afford it."

            "I know…but it seems like a waste of money to have one when I can do it."  Rebecca said, 

            "But think of all the time it would give you." Molly answered, "You could work on ways to make more money-- and keep Baloo working hard."

            "To do that I wouldn't need an accountant, I need a slavedriver!"  Rebecca said, laughing, "Only he'd have him off at Louie's in about ten minutes and that'd be the last I'd see of either of them for the week!"  She smiled, "Don't worry honey-- it's a lot of work, but were so much better off than we were even a year ago-- we have two planes, a lot of contract pilots-- it's going well." Molly looked at her mother.

            _Then whey don't you relax?_  was her unspoken question.   Still, tonight wasn't the time to bring that up.  Molly went to the trash, and wrinkling her nose, picked up the hospital gown-- fortunately it had started out clean. She carefully packed it back to the room, Becky obliviously working on the figures.  Inside, Molly-er Elizabeth, and Molly pounced on it.  

            A few moments later, they both leaned back, looking confused.  It had the Cape Suzzette hospital logo, but nothing else.  

            "That's weird." Molly said, "if you were at Cape Suzzette, why didn't they tell mom?"

            "Maybe they didn't know who I-No." Elizabeth cut herself off, "That doesn't make any sense-- the police would have put out an ad in the paper for anyone who knew who I might be to contact them."  Molly nodded at that. 

            "How are you feeling?" Molly asked kindly.

            "Still kinda woozy--why?"  Elizabeth asked.

            "Because you shouldn't be traveling-- so _I'll _ go to the hospital and check."

            "Now?  What if mom comes in?"

            "Why she'll see her daughter sleeping peacefully, of course." Molly said with an aura of superiority.  Elizabeth gave a grin.

            "You know, I could get used to this."  She said. 

            "I'll be back before dawn." Molly commented by way of reply, going to her closet and grabbing her backpack with the flashlight and tool kit Uncle Wildcat had given her.  She felt a little guilty-- he'd certainly not known about the course in breaking and entering Molly had gotten at Louie's a few years ago-- but it was in a good cause…

            "Molly."  Elizabeth said, pulling her pajamas on.

            "hmm?"

            "I don't recall ever trying to break into a place when nobody was there…"  In fact the only time she'd had the chance to put the skills 'slippery fingers' Jake had shown her was when Baloo had locked them all out of Becky's car.

            "Don't worry-- I can do it." 

            "_I_ could do it-- what about you."

            "Oh, lets not get into that-- we both could do it."  Molly said irritably.  "Now, could you go out and ask mom a question so I can leave-- don't talk to her about hiring an accountant, I already did."

            "Oh, nice of you to remember." Elizabeth said with a grin.  

            "Well, _I_ don't want to get grounded for _your_ problems."  Molly said archly. 

            ***

            Molly waited until Elizabeth started talking to Becky, and soundlessly moved to the door, gently opening and closing it.  Once outside she went down the stairs, to insure that the sound of the elevator wouldn't  alert anyone.  Outside, she unlocked her bike from the rack, and swung onto it, preparing to pedal down the long, deserted road, the streetlights shining off the car windshields in lonely counterpoint to the stars above.  The city was quiet here, although the down town was still jumping, the movies and theatres open late-- Molly and Becky had gone down there more than a few times, although Rebecca still only rarely let her go herself, and only with friends.  The grounding she was risking was something she didn't want to consider.

            "Well, here goes, the first big chance to do a Dangerwoman for _real._"  Molly said, as she kicked off.  Moments later the road was once again deserted, the figure of the teen lost in the gloom of the night, vanishing down the hill.


	3. chapter III

Part III

            Molly slowed down as she approached the alley where Elizabeth had said she'd woken up. That would be where she started looking for clues!  The first problem was that the alley was two blocks away from the hospital…which was odd.  Molly couldn't imagine a half naked girl going unnoticed.  That meant that somebody had to have carried her.  Molly felt her hairs stand up on the back of her neck-- somebody who might be around right now…  

            She forced her worry into the back and stealthily slipped into the alley, approaching the dumpster.  There it was, with broken bottles, (good thing Elizabeth hadn't landed on _those)_, some trash, a piece of paper that looked like a… cargo manifest from _Higher for Hire?!_   Molly snatched it, and wrinkling her nose at the smell, looked down at it.  It was one of the ultra secret-theHighMarshellwillhaveyouhungforlookingatit items from the Thembrian cargo shipment.  

            "Let's see."  Molly said, turning on her flashlight.  There were fifty five forms for making ice sculptures, five Ice flavoring machines, one "magic artifact" and.

            "Hold on."  The artifact entry had a dozen underlines on it, including a _Don't Forget This!_  As well as a note that nobody was to know how important it was to the High Marshell. 

            "Gee, why don't they put a neon sign on it while there at it."  Molly muttered.  She grinned. She _wouldn't _ have to break into the hospital-- she knew exactly where the Thembrian's had moved the rest of their shipment after the SNAFU with the signature had been solved-- to a warehouse on the other side of the bay.  Molly checked her watch, and grinned. More than enough time to get there and back…

***

            Elizabeth stirred restlessly in bed, and sat up, making certain to be quiet about it.  The room was hers.  She knew everything, the dolls from her past, still occupying places of honor even if they hadn't been played with for years, the books, her homework sitting where she'd left it…

            But was it?  Elizabeth, _No, That's just a way to tell the difference.  I'm MOLLY damnit!_   Walked to the dresser and picked up a tube of hair cream.  The impressions in it fitted her hand exactly-- like it had been her who had last touched it.  

            _But what if it wasn't me?_ Elizabeth thought, _What if Molly's right, and I'm a copy?_ She sat back down and thought about it.  If that was true…

            Then this wasn't her life and there was no room in it for her.  She was alone, more so than anyone on the planet-- she didn't have anything of hers.  Molly's secret fear, Elizabeth thought, a sour smile on her face, that Mom would leave, or Baloo would leave or even Kit would leave.

            Like Daddy had left.  Forever.  Only none of them would leave _Molly_-- just the copy.

            Elizabeth didn't do or say anything, but presently the figure sitting on the bed started to tremble.

***

            Molly finished, breathing heavily.  The ride over had been longer than she remembered, especially given the need to keep out of sight.  The police would certainly stop a lone teenager at this time of night.

            The address was along the waterfront, in a dark area, full of warehouses and old fishing piers.  During the day it was fairly busy, but now, with the rare exception of a night watchman's lit office, it was dark.  Even the streets were dim-- many streetlights had been broken out and not replaced. In fact, this was a section that Molly wasn't allowed to go into even in the daytime, unless it was with Mom on a job for a client.  Becky had always left as quickly as possible-- even Kit and Baloo preferred to stay out of the area as much as possible.   Her bicycle, with its shiny chrome, was out of place among the decaying wood and rusting metal of the region.  Molly leaned the bike up against a wall and put a loose board over it. 

            Her objective looked dark, but there were two cars out in front of it, both looking considerably newer than belonged in the area.  Molly peered at it, and thought she saw some flickers of light in the few unboarded windows.  The bearess decided to take another route in, and went to the back of the building, where a ladder gave access to the roof for workers.  The lower part of the ladder was shielded by a solid metal cover, secured with a padlock.  Molly looked at it, and pulled out some tools.  Now she'd see what if "slippery fingers" had really taught her.  The tools were cold in her hands as she lifted the padlock,  and started working them into the keyhole.  Certainly, it was more difficult than a car in broad daylight, to say nothing of the worry of someone sneaking up on her!  In fact, Molly was very jumpy-- the entire area seemed to be full of shadows that made a game of seeming to take ominous shapes, sneaking up on her, and than dissipating back into the darkness. 

            Finally, and with a click that seemed louder than a gunshot to her, the lock opened.  Molly waited, sighed in relief when nobody came to investigate the sound, and opened the cover.

            SCREEEEEEEEECCCCCCHHHHHHH!!!!!  The rusty hinges gave a scream.  Molly's heart stopped.  She stopped cold, quivering as the sound echoed and reechoed through the night air.  Minutes passed.  Nobody came out, no lights came on.  Her heart slowly started beating again.  

            Molly scrambled up the ladder, testing each step. If the hinges were any indication the ladder might not be overly safe and all it would take would be to put her weight on a rusted rung to bring her entire adventure to a crashing halt.  Finally, she reached the roof.  Hoisting herself up, Molly felt something under her hands and looked down.

            "Eeeuggghhhh"  Evidently, pigeons and seagulls really, really, liked this roof-- her hands had sunk into about five inches of bird guano.  Molly wrinkled her nose-- why did bad guys never have a base somewhere nice, like an amusement park or movie house?  She made it up, and looked over the roof.  There were the skylights, mostly blacked out and one skylight with an open panel-- out of which came some light.  Molly moved to it, trying to avoid any noise.  As she got closer, she heard voices-- unhappy voices.

            "What didth you do wisth the other one?"  That was Spigot-- Molly had heard enough of _him_ to recognize that.

            "Look, youse said that you wanted her stashed, so I put her in the Cape Suzzette hospital and paid a doc 100 bucks to keep her under until we need her again!"  The other voice wasn't one that Molly had heard before.  She gently, silently, edged her head over the window and looked down.  There was Spigot, standing on a table, with Dunder looking uncomfortable behind him.  In front of Spigot (and standing on the table) was a small crocodile wearing a ridiculous hat, with two large, and very dim looking goons behind him.   On a chair was a monkey-- tied up.  Molly recognized him from some of Baloo's missions, but couldn't place his name.  He started speaking.

            "Look!  It's imperative that you bring the avatar and the source together before the ending of the great conjunction!"

            "Quiet youse!"  The crocodile said, whacking him with the hat.

            "Yeah, quiet youse!"  The big ape said, whacking his partner with his hat.

            "Yeah, dat's what he said, Quiet youse!"  Molly felt her intelligence dropping simply from being in close proximity to them.

            "Yeshth!"  Spigot said, "We musth get them together again, or else the artifact won't work and the High Marshell will have me Shot!"

            "Oh no, Colonel"  Dunder said, "For this he'll have you keelhauled-- and _then _ shot."  The wharthog paused, "Colonel Spigot…isn't this illegal?"

            "How?" The crocodile said, "The brat doesn't exist!  The real one is back home, and once we're finished, that's all there'll be-- we just have to get them together." He turned to the hulking figures. "Youse two, go to the hospital and bring her back!"

            "Duh yah, we'll bring her back… uh boss?"

            "WHAT IS IT!"  

            "Why should we go to the hospital for?"            

            "To go get the other one…"

            "Oh, you tell him!" The rhino said to the gorilla, both acting like children who had made breakfast for mom.  The crocodile looked like a mom who realized the kids were going to have _her_ clean up the remnants. 

            "We saved you some money, see?"  The gorilla said, "We just dumped her in the alley."

            "In the Alley."

            "So she's safe."

            "Yeah, safe."

            "Wait a minute!"  When they paused, "You're telling me that you put her in the alley… just like that?"

            "Yeah, just like that…and when she wakes up, she'll be out of our hair!"

            "Yeah, out of your hair."

            "Oh, sorry boss, you don't have any hair.  Out of my hair"

            "Yeah, out of my hair!"

            The crocodile seemed to be having a great deal of difficulty breathing. Spigot looked at him.

            "Soo…. Your goons have lost the avatar."  Spigot glared at him, "If I'm going to be shot, you're not going to get any money, Trader Moe."  Moe looked like he was about to explode.   Molly stifled a laugh at that, but the dusty air of the roof got in her nose, and she started struggling.  She sank back out of sight, and fought it. Fought and won…for a moment.

            "ACHOOO!"  Everyone looked up.  Moe grinned. 

            "Boys, we seem to have a visitor… why don't you go invite them down here?"  The two thugs got expressions of glee on their faces as they headed outside.

            "Yeah, invite them down here…"

            "And say please." 

            "Yeah, say thank you."

            "No, please first."

            "WILL YOU GO GET WHOEVER IT IS!"  

            As Molly ran to the edge of the roof, she noticed two things.

1. They had beaten her to the edge, and were coming up the roof. 

2. There was no other way off the roof. 

To be continued.


	4. Chapter IV

            Molly looked down over the side of the building, as the two Goons looked up at her.

            "Dat's the Kid." 

            "Yeah, dat's her."

            "Hey Boss!"

            "WHAT!"

            "Da Kid isn't in the alley anymore."

            "Yeah, she's on the roof." 

            "WELL GET HER!"  The two tried to climb up at the same time, and Molly watched, eyes wide as the overstressed ladder came free, bending down with a shriek of failing metal, until he Gorilla and Rhino were on the ground-- with Moe under them. Molly was _very_ happy she wasn't able to make out the muttered words come from under them. 

            But that didn't solve the problem of how she could get down-- sooner or later someone with an IQ higher than the temperature of a Thembrian winter would be along and she'd be out of luck.  But first…she had a feeling she could add some confusion.

            "Boys!"  Molly called out from the roof.

            "Yeah?  You come down here!"  The rhino said,

            "But I'm not the Molly you're looking for."

            "Huh?  Why's dat?"

            "The one in the dumpster sent me to tell you she wanted to talk to your boss-- in the alley!  If you don't hurry, she'll leave!"  Molly crossed her fingers.  Nobody could be-

            "C'mon Boss!"

            "Wait, what are you doing, PUT ME DOWN YOU'SE DUMMIES!"  The last ended in a doppler shift as the two goons, carrying Moe over their heads, vanished into the night. 

            "Yep, they were that dumb." Molly said to herself.  

            "You, Come rightsh down here this ishstant!"  Spigot's voice came up from inside the warehouse.  "You'vth intruded onto a super secret Thembrian secret!"  Molly ignored him.  Dunder wouldn't do anything, he was nice-- and Spigot-- well just _let_ him climb up and try to stop her.  But she could learn some stuff.

            "What did you do to me!?"

            "That'sh none of your concern!"

            "Yes it is, there are two of me walking around right now!"

            "Then itsh none of both of your concern!"  Molly sighed, there was a limit to how much you could learn from dullards.  She paused, and grinned.

            "That's wrong."

            "What'th?"

            "It should be: 'you've intruded on to a Thrmbrian secret.'"  Molly said, "The other makes no sense."

            "How dare you correct my grammar! That's a shooting offense!  DUNDER!"

            "Yes Colonel?"

            "Shoot!  SHOOT!"

            "I can't sir." Dunder said, wringing his hands, "Remember the High Marshall won't let you have live ammunition any more after that last incident with the unloaded rifle?"

            "Don't talkth about that!"  Spigot literally stamped his foot-- "Someone substituted a loaded rifle for the one I was holding!"  They both looked up as a snicker floated down from Molly. Spigot got more furious if possible.

            Molly ignored the rest of his ranting, as she came to the edge of the roof and found an electrical cable running down to a pier edge power link for docked ships.  Taking a loop of cloth from her pack, she looped it around the wire and slid down, controlling her speed.  By the time she was one the ground, Spigot's ranting had faded-- evidently he was so upset he'd forgotten to keep track of her. 

            "He'll be upset."  Molly said to herself as she ran back to the alley, grabbed her bike and headed back home.  Of course, now that she knew who had done this-- there was the minor question of what and why. But she had to be up that morning, which meant that Elizabeth could answer that question…

            Back home, Molly saw the darkened lights-- everyone was asleep.  She let herself in soundlessly, and carefully walked to her room. Fortunately, Elizabeth had left the door cracked, and Molly entered to see her double on the bed, eyes open.  

            "So what did you find out?"  Elizabeth asked.  Molly told her the whole thing. By the end, Elizabeth was stifling laughter.

            "I wonder if the goons have put Trader Moe down yet?" Molly grinned back, 

            "Or if Spigot's stopped ranting at poor Dunder."  They both grinned.  Then, seriously, Elizabeth continued.

            "I wish I knew what it was-- and why it did…this." She said, taking in her and Molly.  

            "We'll have to go back tomorrow-- maybe now that we know where it is, one of us can go in."

            "In the Day time?"  Elizabeth said, than nodded, "Oh, right-- Trader Moe and his goons aren't likely to be able to shoot a teenaged girl in broad daylight with people around."

            "Right."

            "Good. Move over-- I'm tired."            

            _"Are you crazy?_" Elizabeth said,

            "No, I'm tired."

            "And when Mom comes in and sees two of her daughter…"

            "Oh."  Molly glared, "And what do you suggest."

            "One of us sleep under the bed, of course." 

            "And who would that be?"  Elizabeth looked at her with a superior look.

            "Well obviously, you've been out, and need the sleep, so you sleep on top of the bed, and I'll sleep underneath-- it's a good thing we keep the room clean."  Molly blinked.  Elizabeth had just said _she_ could handle it, and Molly couldn't…in fact, she'd done…

            Exactly what Molly would have done if she wanted to make a point.  Molly shook her head ruefully, and got up to change.

            The next morning Molly yawned, and got up, noticing abruptly that Elizabeth wasn't under the bed.  The reason for that came soon enough when Elizabeth came in, drying her hair off, smiling.

            "Better hurry Molly-- Mom went down to the post office, and I told her that I was feeling dirty so I'd take along shower, but when she gets back…"  Molly needed no further warning, and dove for the shower.

            Five minutes later, she was out again, just in time to have Rebecca ask her if she planned to become a prune by immersing herself in water.  Molly grinned and kissed her mother on the cheek.

            "No, but I like to feel clean."  She said, "I was going to meet Dave this morning, if that's ok with you."

            "Just as long as your back by 5, sweetie." Rebecca said.  The fact that 'everyone else' could stay out late had come up now and then, but Becky was adamant-- late nights were privilege, and not an everyday occurrence.  Her comments that Kit had done that were brought back with an entire catalogue of how many times that had gotten Kit in trouble-- with a compromise offered that when she turned fifteen, things would be different.  Molly decided not to begin that battle again, and turned and headed back to her room.

            "So what are we going to do with Dave?"  Elizabeth asked, and Molly turned around to look at her.

            "I'm going to keep our date-- and not an everyday occurrence.  Her comments that Kit had done that were brought back with an entire catalogue of how many times that had gotten Kit in trouble-- with a compromise offered that when she turned fifteen, things would be different.  Molly decided not to begin that battle again, and turned and headed back to her room.

            "So what are we going to do with Dave?"  Elizabeth asked, and Molly turned around to look at her.

            "I'm going to keep our date-- and _you_ are going to check out the library to see if there's any legends about double makers. Then we'll both go to the warehouse."   Elizabeth crossed her arms.

            "Oh really?"

"Yes, Really."

"How about if I go out with Dave…"

"Over my dead body-"

"Molly sweetie?"  Becky's voice came through the closed door.  "You're too young to be talking to yourself like that-- and you don't have Baloo for an employee."  The two blanched when they realized that she could have just come walking in.  Molly looked at Elizabeth and smiled. 

"I'll be with Dave at the park-- we'll be having lunch at 2 so you could call me at the diner-- you know th-"

"Of course I know it-- I thought of it." Elizabeth said.

Later, Molly said goodbye to her mother as Rebecca drove on down to Higher For Hire.  She squelched the brief bit of guilt over Elizabeth, but she knew the type-- give her an inch and she'd take a mile. In fact, Molly could safely say that she knew Elizabeth's exact feelings right now.

"Molly!"  Molly looked over and gave a squeal, forgetting about all of her problems.  Dave was 6'1, a member of the football team, and at 16, already a certified pilot-- one that even Baloo admitted "had promise".  Not as good as Kit, but he was the neatest boy in school-- and in fact scored even higher by not being aware of that.  Of course the fact that he was the most handsome brown bear in the school didn't hurt much either.  Some of Molly's less chairtable girlfriends suggested that he was also possessed of the patience of St. Francis, given who his girlfriend of a year was, but that was obviously sour grapes.

"Dave!  Did you miss me?"

"It's been… one day."  Dave said, grinning.  "I barely survived." He finished, grabbing her in a (literal), bear hug, and swinging her around.  

"I've had such a odd week." Molly said, 

"Oh? How?"

"Er… it's a long story." Molly said, desperately fishing for a distraction. "Oh, look! The carousel is starting up, let's go!"  The ran off, pulling Dave behind her.

Behind them, a pair of blue eyes narrowed. Elizabeth had followed them, and for a moment she thought her heart was going to be ripped out by the agony.

_He's not your boyfriend, he never has been._  She thought as her fingers tightened on the branch of the tree she'd hidden behind.  Abruptly, it broke with a gunshot sound.  Elizabeth whirled away, trying to banish the last thought she'd had.

_But he could be if only…._


	5. Chapter V

Elizabeth soon found herself in the Cape Suzzette University library, trying to forget what she'd seen, and felt.  The pile of books by her kept growing, as she continued to read. The librarian looked over now and than, but unlike many High School students, Elizabeth wasn't hard on the books.  

Finally, just before giving up in disgust, Elizabeth looked down at a picture of something that looked like a frozen warthog. 

"Thembrian statue of menme."  She read, "Nobody knows the meaning of this statues name, but it has long been considered a important relic in Thembrian history.  Accidentally classified in 1905, all individuals who knew of its location were found to be in possession of classified knowledge and shot, hung, and shot again, in that order."  Elizabeth made a face.  She quickly pulled out a pad of paper and copied the text, along with a drawing of what it looked like, kinda.  

"It looks like a squashed buffalo."  She muttered to herself.  Oh well, she'd never considered herself an artist although now that she thought about it…why not?  She blinked and remembered on other thing.

"Great conjunction."  She muttered to herself, "Where's something about the great conjunction."  The librarian hissed at her like a cobra, her hood opening up. 

"Sorry."  Elizabeth whispered, when a shadow fell over her. An older professor, his hands full of books, looked down at her.

"I'm sorry young lady,"  He said, "You won't find information about that in a book on archaeology."  The Librarian didn't hush _him_.  "The great conjunction is when the moon is aligned with Klenser's Comet, and all the inner planets-- Venus and Mercury.  It happens every 20 years."  

"And when does it end?"  Elizabeth asked.

"This Tuesday."  He looked up at some people entered the library, "Oh, there's my party-- enjoy your studies."  He said and left.  Elizabeth quickly finished taking down everything, and stuffed it in her backpack.  She left the library at a near run, hopping on her bike and heading to the park-- in fact, just a little early.  A thought struck her and she got a smile on her face.  She knew exactly where Molly and Dave would be.  

            Molly leaned into Dave's shoulder, as they watched the city from their place in the wooded park. Rising towards the mountains that backed Cape Suzzette, the park gave a view down into the harbor, it's protective ringing cliffs and the single channel that gave access to it.  Molly sighed in contentment.  

            "This is great."  She said,

            "I think so." Dave agreed equably.  "Now what was this terrible stress that hit you this week."

            "Oh, well, it's nothing, really."  Molly smiled, "Oh-- wait a moment."  She said as she got up. 

            "Yes?"  Dave asked. 

            "I'll be right back." Molly commented, "I have to check something right quick!"  She finished, giving Dave no chance to follow her.  He raised his eyebrows, but stayed put.  Another pair of blue eyes opened wide in satisfaction.

            Molly ran to the diner and noticed that Elizabeth wasn't there. 

            "Hm… guess she's still at the library." The bearess grinned and turned to go back to Dave. 

            Dave was waiting for Molly when another voice intruded on his thoughts-- a very familiar voice. 

"Hi Dave."   He turned in surprise.  How had Molly managed to run around the park so quickly? There she was-- and she had a different colored set of hair ribbons on, although the other clothes were the same.  She also had a backpack.

"What's in the backpack?"  

"Oh, nothing important." Molly said, and without giving any warning, leaped into his arms and planted a kiss on him. Dave started for a second. Molly as affectionate, but this kiss was much deeper and more intense than he was used to from her-- especially in a public park!  If Ms. Cunningham saw this he'd… on the other hand, his girlfriend was very warm and pliable and if she were willing to risk it…  He put his hands around her lower back, pulling her up and into him as he reciprocated her actions. Time stretched out seeming to stand still when…

"_Why you_…"  Dave broke off his kiss with Molly to look up and see… M_olly?!_  Yes, Molly.   A trembling, pale, supremely furious Molly. Her blue eyes were slitted with rage and her hands were clenched into fists.

"How _dare_ you." She snarled at the other Molly, advancing.  Molly broke off from Dave and stood arms at her hips, glaring back.

"I have just as much right."   She said back in a voice that Dave knew well--Molly was trying to be reasonable, before ripping someone's head off.

"Right?"  The other one said, she started poking Molly in the chest.  "You don't have the right-- you are not me!  You." Poke, "Are" poke, "Just" Poke, "A."  Poke, "_Copy!"_ JAB!.  That last Dave realized, even through his confusion, was going too far.  Molly didn't bother to give a girl slap-- Molly had never been into that sort of fighting.  She brought back one hand and gave a closed fist smash across Molly's muzzle that spun her halfway around.  She looked back up, and Dave had never seen her so angry.  A small growl came from her and she launched her self onto Molly-- or whoever the hell she was.

The next several minutes were a nightmare of shrieks and thuds. Molly didn't fight like a girl-- she fought like someone who had been taught by  Kit, Baloo and some other acquaintances in the fine art of dirty fighting, in which the single rule was to win.  She also fought with her typical disregard for defense, assuming she could power through the pain and outlast the other if she could deal out enough punishment. 

The problem was, so did her twin, and thus decades before the term would become known to governments across the globe, Dave was treated to an example of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) in play.  The rolling ball of fury went bouncing down the slope, scattering picnickers on its way down, Dave charging after.  

When they finally got to the bottom, the fight continued, as Molly managed to hang a haymaker on her twin, and the twin shrieked and pulled Molly close, bringing up her knee into Molly's crotch four times in rapid succession. Molly buried her fist in the twins solar plexus, producing an agonized whoosh of air, and she bent over, brought up a knee into her eye.  The other screamed, but charged forward, holding Molly by the clothes and slamming her into a light pole, reaching up and grabbing her by the ears, slamming the back of her head into the iron of the pole.  

Dave looked with horror on this, trying to figure out a way to break them up without becoming a wishbone in the process.  He still didn't know who the other one was…but she kissed like Molly, in addition to fighting like her.  He looked over at a surprised park worker and saw the truck behind him.

"That's just water, right?"  He asked.

"Uh…yeah, ice cold, just from the water system."

"Thanks,"  Dave said, brushing by him and pulling out the hose, turning it on full. Both girls shrieked as they were hit by the force of the water, breaking them apart, and leaving them wet, bedraggled, bruised, messes.  Molly's ribbons had come undone, as had her twins, and they'd both lost one of the straps of their overalls, oddly enough in direct mirror image to the other one.  From the bruises and shiners rising, they'd be feeling this tomorrow.

"ALL RIGHT."  Dave bellowed, "That's enough." He looked around at the crowd, which was beginning to diminish, the show being over.  "What the hell is going on here?"   he didn't often swear, but this seemed to be the time, if anything was.

"I…you…" Molly said.  The other Molly looked at Molly, and then at Dave.  She was for a moment, as furious as Molly had been.  Then she started to stitch, not from the pain, Dave believed.  Seconds later, she ran off, sobbing, staggering to one side as she favored her leg.  In  moments she was gone from sight, heading back to where the bikes were racked. Dave looked over at Molly.  She was hugging herself, tears leaking out of her eyes, mixed with the blood from her muzzle.  One ear was painfully bent over and she was hunched over, seeming to have difficulty breathing.

She looked up at Dave, and he folded his arms, looking down at her.

"I think we need to have a talk, don't you?"  He asked.  

"I…I just want to go home." Molly said, taking shuddering breaths.

"Well, I think your bike just went with…whoever that was."  Dave said, "And you riding behind me isn't a good idea right now-- we're taking a taxi back home."

"But--"

"No buts."  Dave said, part of being Molly's boyfriend was knowing when to be accommodating and when to be stubborn-- came from dating someone who was stubborn, Dave guessed.  This was a stubborn moment.

"And then." He said, quietly, "You are going to tell me just what is going on."


	6. Chapter VI

Baloo was in heaven.  Becky had come down, but there was, for once, nothing to do.  No screwball schemes, no weird ideas, no hogs, truffles, fake secret agents, _real_ secret agents, pirates, criminals, aliens or bill collectors. 

The day had been so slow that Rebecca had decided to play hooky, heading up town to some of the department stores where she could engage in gladiatorial combat with other bargain hunters.  Yes, today was perfect. Kit and his wife -- and don't dwell on that, because the idea of Little Britches with a wife was tailor made to make one feel old, old, old-- would be in later, and they'd all head out and do Baloo's second favorite thing-- eat.  Perfect, nothing to worry about…

            Except a crying Molly who rode up to the front of Higher For Hire, dumped her bike so that it fell to the ground uncared for (and Molly treated her stuff like Wildcat treated his tools, or Baloo treated the Sea Duck) and then ran inside.  

            A few things could get Baloo out of his hammock-- and that was one of them.  Molly didn't cry.  At least not unless something was seriously, _seriously _ wrong.  Baloo had in the eight years since he'd known her, seen her cry about five times-- and every time there was some serious pain involved, usually emotional.  Molly didn't get hysterical at normal pain-- even the time she'd fallen in 4th grade and broken her arm, the nurse had mentioned how she'd seemed more angry than hurt, holding her arm and trying to keep from tearing up.  

            Which meant that a Molly gone completely hysterical indicated something very, _very_ bad.  It couldn't be Rebecca, Baloo had seen her just a few minutes ago. The big bear headed straight for the door and inside just as Molly slammed the door to the upper room, currently used as a spare "sleep over" room. Wildcat was looking up from where he was fixing the radio, equally confused and concerned.  Unsurprising, given that "Uncle Wildcat" was one of Molly's favorite people, and she one of his.  

            Baloo headed up the stairs to the door, where he could hear choked sobs, each one seemingly torn from a throat desperately trying to hold them in.

            "Molly?"  Baloo called softly through the closed door.  "Pigtails?  Is everyone all right."

            "GO AWAY."  The voice came out from behind the door.  Baloo tried the knob.  Locked.  Damn. 

            "Wildcat…" Baloo asked.

            "Baloo, I don't think we should open the door unless like, Mollycat wants us too."  Wildcat said unhappily. 

            "I need ta know what's wrong." Baloo said.  Evidently Molly heard that.

            "Nothing." Came the muffled response.  Coming from a long and honored line of liers, Baloo didn't even dignify that with a response.

            "Pigtails, I gotta talk to you."  Nothing.  Wildcat tried his own style of… logic.

            "Hey Mollycat, maybe you should open the door, 'cause if Baloo tries to like smash it, he'll hurt the door and then it'll go home to Rebecca and Baloo'll get blamed for it."  Baloo blinked.  That'd never-  The doorknob turned and Molly was there, looking up at them.

            "Where's mom?"  She asked.  Baloo was blinking at her, and replied. 

            "Off shopping… Molly, what happened to'ya?"

            "Noth-" Molly cut off as Baloo gently took her chin in his hand and tilted her head to look at him. Bloody, recently washed nose, check.  Cut lip, check, black eye, check.  _Second_ black eye, check.  What looked like a wrenched ear, check, and one overall strap ripped and hanging down along one arm, check.  The way she was favoring the leg looked like it'd taken some damage too.

            "That's a whole lot of nothing I'm seeing, Pigtails."  Baloo said, "And I ain't never seen you come out of a fight this bad-- er, not that I've seen you after any fights, at least so far as Becky knows."  That brought a tiny ghost of a smile to Molly's face, remembering how Baloo had covered for her in one memorable bully-thrashing.

            "Does the other guy look this bad?"

            "I think so…"    That _was_ bad, Baloo realized.  Normally, whether she won or not, the answer to that question would be an undoubted _yes!_    The gray bear leaned back.  What the hell was going on.  Abruptly, he went cold.

            Molly had been going out with Dave.  Baloo had been around the block more than once, and he'd seen this a few times, though he'd never imagine it was with _Molly._

            Sometimes a guy decided that he wanted to go further than his date wanted to.  Sometimes he decided to push the issue.  Sometimes he got nasty when he was refused.  Baloo looked down, turning pale. At least it looked like she'd managed to fight him off, thank God.  

            But that would explain why Molly was so shook up.  She'd liked and _trusted_ Dave, and if anything could send Pigtails into a tailspin it was having her trust violated.  Oh he wished Rebecca were here right now… but this couldn't wait.

            "Molly?" 

            "Yeah?" That same distracted soft voice. 

            "Did you see Dave today?"

            "Yeah?"  

            "Where do you think he is now?"    Molly looked up at him.  

            _Where do you think he is?  With the real Molly, of course._ Elizabeth thought.  Then she spoke even though her jaw was sore as anything. 

            "Probably back home."  She said, and wondered why Baloo turned first white, then red.  

            "OK, Pigtails, you stay here and Uncle Wildcat's gonna stay with you."  Baloo turned to Wildcat and motioned him out of the room.

            "Yeah Baloo?"

            "I'm going to talk to a man, Wildcat, stay with Molly."

            "OK, but you don't have to crack your knuckles like that when you talk with a man, unless you're going to use sign language."  Wildcat paused, and then continued, brightly, "Is he deaf?"

            "Oh he's gonna be, among other things."  Baloo said, and left at a considerably higher speed than he normally moved.  Moments later, Becky's 'don't touch this ever again BALOO!' car started and tore out of the lot with a screech.    Wildcat walked back into the room, where Molly had perched herself on the bed.  

            "C'mon Mollycat." He said, "We need to look after that big black eye, or it'll like, report us to the Bureau of Black Eyes."

            Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at that, even though it hurt.  Wildcat just had that effect on her.  

            ***

            Molly sat in the living room of her house, a bag of ice on her head, and several bandages covering the various cuts and scrapes.  She had a bit more sympathy for the bullies she'd demolished over the years, now.    Dave walked back in, and sat down opposite her, saying nothing for a moment. Then. 

            "Well?"

            "Um…"  Molly said intelligently.  There was nothing like a knock down drag out between two identical people to make coming up with a good, believable explanation, hard. "She's a long lost cousin-- a real jerk." Dave's expression distinctly said, 'oh you've got to be able to do better than that.'

            "She talked like you, she walked like you, she _kissed_ like you." Dave said, "Although that was a bit more of a kiss." Watching the somewhat bruised Molly start to swell, he hastily continued, "And she had the exact same temper and right cross you do, and I doubt many girls have _that."_

            "You wouldn't believe me." Molly said.

            "Try me. On my 8th birthday a crazy pirate in a flying fortress tried to fry the city with a raygun. Not long after that, we were invaded by panda's with heat seeking missiles… should I continue?"

            "OK-- Elizabeth."

            "Elizabeth?"

            "The girl-- now can I continue?  My jaw aches enough as it is."

            "Go on…"

            "She's me.  At least we think so. She woke up in an ally, and Trader Moe and Colonel Spigot from Thembria said something about an "avatar" and getting us back together, so I figure this is somekind of duplicator."  Molly paused, "Only Elizabeth wanted a little more _duplication_ than I was going to give her."  Dave paused, digesting all of this.

            "And she remembers everything?"

            "Remembers?" Molly gave a painful laugh, "When we first met she thought that _I_ was the copy, not her."

            "Ah."  Dave was really into _serious _science fiction, Molly thought, as he reminded her when he decided to get arch about her Dangerwoman fixation.  He probably _did_ understand and believe this.  But his statement came out of left field.

            "Molly, how could you be so cruel?"

            "Huh?"  She glared at him (at least as much as you could glare out of two black eyes), "What are you talking  about?  She was taking _my_ boyfriend!"  Dave shook his head.

            "No, her boyfriend… or if not, than what does she have?"

            "What?"  Dave frowned.  

            "Molly, remember when you told me that your biggest fear was being _left alone_?  That Baloo, Wildcat  and Kit leaving, not to mention Ms. Cunningham was the a number one nightmare you had when you were younger?"

            "Yes, but."

            "Molly-- _Elizabeth is living that nightmare."  _  He said.  Dave didn't get angry often, and most especially not at her.  He was angry now.  Molly filed away how his lips had gone pale so she'd remember what he looked like when he was _really_ angry.  

            "What does she have?"  He continued, "Memories? Not hers.  You're right, I'm not her boyfriend, Becky's not her mother, Baloo's not the man who bounced her on his belly when she was little, Kit never babysit her, and Wildcat isn't her uncle."

            "I-"

            "She has _nothing Molly."_  He continued brutally. "Everyone else could tell her to get out, they don't need a copy-- and she doesn't have any friends or associates of _her_.  Hell, _you're_ afraid of being alone, Elizabeth is probably more alone than any other being on the planet right now."  He turned and walked to the window, looking out over the city.

            "And of course, that doesn't get into small matter of how long will she live?"

            "Huh?"

            "Magic-- if it is, whose to say she won't go *poof!* pretty soon.  I guess if she's lucky her memories would go back to you, so she wouldn't be completely gone…but maybe not."  Dave didn't say anything as he looked down at Molly, watched the dawning realization hit her.  Molly didn't lie, especially to herself.  Her eyes filled with tears that had nothing to do with her physical pain.

            "Oh God… I didn't think of that, I was just so _angry…_"  She started taking shuddering breaths, and than fought them off.  "We've got to go find her, before…"

            "We will, but first you need to get into some clothes that don't look like they've been through the Great War."  Molly nodded unsteadily, and headed for the door to her room.  Dave sat down I the living room, when he heard someone trying the lock.  

            "Ms. Cunningham?"  He said, going to open it for her. 

            ***

            Back at Higher For Hire, Elizabeth washed her face under Wildcat's eye, and sat down while he made her some hot chocolate.  She painfully smiled.  At least Wildcat was the same.

            "You know, you're not Molly."  He said.  Elizabeth started. 

            "How-- how can."

            "Oh you're a lot like her, like my 5/8th wrench is a lot like my 9/16's but they're just a _little_ different."  He said, "They're always trying to get me confused, but that doesn't work because I know them so well.  And they don't fit when I use them on the bolt, but I _do_ know them well." Elizabeth started to tremble.

            "And…what does that mean?" She asked, 

            "Oh I think it's great."  Wildcat happily said, "You can share the same clothes, and then when it's time to do chores you can do them twice as fast!"

            "I…  I guess you're right."  Elizabeth said,  At least Wildcat wasn't upset.  Ignoring the pain she gave him a tight hug, feeling the tears pool.  "Are you still my Uncle Wildcat?"

            "Oh, I'll always be that." He said to her.  Elizabeth couldn't even put into words how that made her feel, so she gave him an even tighter hug.  At that point, the door opened, and Kit and his wife walked in. Kathy was a fox-- both literally and in appearance, who was Katy Dodd's cousin.   Slim, pretty and competent, she'd been the target of a great deal of Molly jealously in the beginning, but she'd won Molly over, not the least by avoiding the _oozing_ friendliness that most of Mom's boyfriends tried.  Kit had a better eye for lifemates than mom.

            Right now, Kit had a shocked expression on his face, looking at Molly. 

            "Molly…_what happened._"  He said. 

            "Nothing-"  Elizabeth started, and Kit cut her off.

            "Cut it out, Molly-- what happened."

            "I got into a fight."

            "That's obvious."  Kit said, and Kathy sighed.  

            "Molly," She said, "Do you have any spare clothes here?"         

            "Yeah-" 

            "Then I'll go get them so you don't look quite so much like a wreck.  Did you win?"

            "Not exactly…" She said. 

            "Where's Dave?" Kit asked.

            "I don't know… probably back home."  Elizabeth said, giving the same answer that she'd given Baloo.  Kit and Kathy drew the same conclusions.  Kathy, her hands full of spare clothes paused and looked at Kit, then looked back at Molly.

            "Molly." Kathy said carefully, "Did Dave did this to you?"

            "No!"  Elizabeth said, shocked.  The two adults shared the glance again.  Kit started.

            "Molly-- we won't blame you.  But someone beat you, and if it was Dave, you need to tell us, now.  I promise that I won't call the cops or anything." _Which is the truth because if Dave did this, I want the pleasure of wringing his neck myself._  

            "No." Elizabeth said angrily now.  "I know what you're saying, and if Dave had tried to rape me do you think I'd be _defending _ him?"  She paused, "In fact he broke up the fight between me and…the other person."  Abruptly, her face changed, a look of dawning horror. 

            "Oh no…" She said, "Baloo ran out of here…do you think he believed the same thing?"  Kit and Kathy looked at each other.

            "Maybe."  Kit said, and he saw Molly get a panicked look.

            "He's going to _kill_ Dave and Dave didn't even do anything!  He's probably at home right now." Molly leaped up and ran down the stairs. "C'mon!"

            "Molly!" Kit called following her, "How could he even get in?"

            "_She_, Has the Key!"  Molly shouted.

            "She?"  Kathy said.

            "Oh, Molly's double." Wildcat assured her, unconcernedly.  Kathy blinked and shrugged.  With this family, yeah, she could see it.  That's why she liked Kit so much-- boredom was not a factor in the Higher for Hire family.  The four of them jumped into the car and Kit pulled away.  Elizabeth sat in the back, concentrating on the fact that Kit was a better driver than Baloo, and Baloo got lost at least twice when he tried to drive.  They'd get there before he did.  They had to.


	7. Chapter VII

            When Dave opened the door, he noticed two things. First of all, it wasn't Ms. Cunningham.  Second of all, Baloo's hand was Juuussst the right size to fit around his neck and cut off the air to his lungs.

            "Kid I like you."  Baloo rumbled, "And that's why I'm gonna give you all of ten seconds to explain why Molly ended up getting beaten up-- when she was with you. Don't worry about anything, just tell the truth and I promise I won't hurt you.  Much."   Dave had always seen Baloo as a friendly, happy go lucky fellow.  He'd also known that Baloo saw Molly in  a very fatherly way-- and if he'd had any doubts, right now they were put to rest.  But why was Baloo-

            _Oh God.   Elizabeth._  Molly's double had been just as pounded as Molly, and if Baloo thought _he'd _ done it, then Dave had a very good feeling a hospital was in his future.  Or a morgue.

            _Right.  Ten seconds.  Well Mr. Bruinwald it's like this-- Molly has a double nobody ever heard of and could please avoid breaking my writing arm._

            _Maybe not.  _

_            Molly was attacked by Thembrian Hunting Yaks?_

_            Nah._

_            Ohpleasegoddon'tkillmeI'mstillayoungman!_

_            Getting warmer._

"Dave?  Who was th- BALOO!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"  Molly said, shocked, as she looked over at Baloo, holding Dave.

            "Molly?"  Baloo asked, "I'd told you to stay with Wildcat, Pigtails."  He paused, "Don't you worry, I'm just having a chat with Dave about how he's supposed to treat you."

            "Ag, gack, gasp"  Dave contributed to the discussion.

            "He's treating me _fine!" _Molly said.

            "Then where'd you get that black eye from?"  Baloo said, 

            "From…ah, er…someone else."  Molly's hesitation led to Baloo hoisting Dave up.

            "Ah see, You don't want to talk about it while he's here. I'll be right back."  Baloo started marching to the door, with Dave still in the air and Molly holding onto his arm, while he was dragging her along with him.

            "Baloo…it's not like that!  Baloo! BALOO, WOULD YOU LISTEN TO ME!?"  Molly said, her voice getting increasingly Rebecca like.

            ***

            Kit drove as fast as he could-- Molly was bouncing on the back seat, practically gibbering in her need to get there.

            "Hurry, Kit!  Baloo might hurt Dave and it's _all my fault!"_ The last came out in a wail.  Kit drove faster, barely avoiding a J-walker.  He glared and leaned on the horn.  Kathy blinked and looked behind her. 

            "You know you just almost ran Ms. Cunningham down?"  She said conversationally.  Kit blanched.

            *** 

            Behind them, a furious bear dove into the Taxi cab.  

            "Kit what are you doing driving like that with Molly!?"  She said, She'd give _him_ a piece of her mind.  Behind that was a worry-- Kit was the responsible one, so if he was driving like that, there had to be a good reason for it.  

            "Here!"  Becky said, handing the driver a 20.  "Follow that-EEP!" She went over backwards as the driver saw the bill and followed the car.  Fast enough that the streetlights were blueshifted.

            Back at the apartment, Baloo was just about to remove Dave from the building, where it was easier to remove blood stains.  Molly was now hanging on to Dave with one hand, her other in a death grip on the doorframe.

            "Pigtails, I've gotta do this!"

            "NO, YOU DON'T"  Molly shouted, hanging on. Now Dave was being strangled, while Molly's death grip as pulling his arm out of its socket.  His life had long since stopped playing before his eyes, he was now watching reruns.  The elevator opened with a pleasant ping, and Dave hoped that whoever was coming out would have the presence of mind to help him.

            "DAVE!?"  A horrified voice intruded-- Elizabeth.  

            Kit and Kathy stopped, looking at Baloo, pulling Dave out by the throat, and an angry Molly…?  Kit blinked and rubbed his eyes, as _their_ Molly charged out and grabbed Dave by the same arm the duplicate had him by.

            "Let, GO!"  She shouted, and added her weight to the other.  Dave's arm creaked alarmingly.  Baloo looked down, blinked.  Blinked again, and shook his head.  His grip grew just a little weaker.

            "Could have sworn I slept off those pineapple fizzies."  He said. 

            "You, umph, Did, Umph, let, grr, Dave, Go!" The two Molly's said in a Greek Chorus.  Baloo numbly complied.  Unfortunately, neither Molly had slacked in the slightest, and they flew back into the room with a twin shriek, Dave landing on top of them.  

            Concentrating on getting his wind back, Dave didn't even notice the pleasant squishability of the twin Molly's.  Kit, Kathy, and Baloo walked in after them. 

            "Kit." Kathy said. "Did Becky have another kid we aren't aware of?"

            "No…"

            "And you're seeing two Molly's, like I am."

            "Yep."

            "What's going on?"  Kit didn't say a thing, just looked over at Baloo, who shrugged back at him.  Kit turned to the two Molly's and held his hand out, questioningly.  That was all they needed. In stereo, they started.

            "Well see we're duplicates… we were hoping you wouldn't find out…"  And the story started to come out.  By the end of it, the adults were sitting in chairs in various postures of disbelief.  

            _Even for us, this is weird._ Kit thought, looking at his wife.  

            "Ah…" Baloo said, to Dave "Sorry kid.  You're the only one I know of who could beat up Molly-- and get her crying, not just angry.  I shoulda known better."  

            Dave shrugged. He had to admit, from Baloo's point of view, it probably looked pretty bad.

            "Who _did_ beat you both up?"  Kathy asked.  The two Molly's looked very… embarrassed.  But Molly started up.  

            "Well… Elizabeth was kissing Dave when I came back and I…kinda lost my temper."   

            "Elizabeth?"  she shrugged, "We couldn't both just be 'Molly', and she's right-- I knew…I just wanted to…" She refused to meet anyone's gaze.  Kit noticed the Molly's face turned slightly pink-- not with anger, if Kit was any judge, but with embarrassment and more than a little shame.

            "So you two… fought?" All the adults winced.  They _knew_ Molly's fighting style, and now were surprised that more damage hadn't been done. 

            "Yeah!" They both chorused.  

            "Who won?" Kathy said, fascinated.  

            "Dave broke it up." They said,  and both simultaneously said, "But I would hav-"  They broke off looked at each other, and burst into laughter at the incongruity.  Kit caught Baloo's eye, looked over at Dave, and they both shook their heads.

            _Poor, poor fool.  Now he has two type A personalities to deal with.  _Abruptly, a thought hit Kit, one that caused him to start shivering.  _What if this had happened when I was still babysitting her…._  He shuddered.  Kathy captured his hand and said comfortingly. 

            "I know, Honey, but you don't have to think about it.  They're older, and so don't even think about 6 year old duplicates playing "High Diver Queen" with their babysitter."  Kit shuddered again.  Molly and Elizabeth saw it, and both looked outraged, and once again their stereophonic voices rose.

            "I wasn't that bad!"  

            The elevator dinged open again, and a short, VERY angry Rebecca marched into the room.  

            "KIT CLOUDKICKER!  I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE DRIVE LIKE THAT BEFORE, AND WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE SEAT! I-"  Becky was cut off in mid-tirade.  

            "Hi! Mom!" Molly said, and Elizabeth chimed in, 

            "Mom!" Becky focused on Molly, preparing to yell at her for letting Kit take her on that death ride.  Then she noticed the fact that there were two Molly's, both looking at her with identical looks, complete with black eyes.  She blinked. 

            "Molly…"

            "Yes?"  She turned to the other one.

            "Molly?"

            "Yes mom?"  That 'Molly' paused, and then continued, "But we decided to call me Elizabeth, so nobody would get confused." 

            "That's nice, dear."  Becky said.  "Baloo?"

            "Yeah Beckers?"

            "Come here."  The grey bear walked over to her. 

            "Yeah?"

            "I'm seeing two Molly's."

            "Yeah."

            "Is this one of your screwball schemes?"

            "Nope." 

            "Oh."  Becky said, as her brain decided that in order to maintain a properly businesslike attitude, she needed time to consider this.  Time that could be properly gained by fainting, now that Baloo was behind her.  Thus, she did. 

            THUMP!

            "Baloo!" 

            "Sorry Kit, I wasn't ready!"

            To be continued.


	8. Chapter VII

            Becky slowly came to.  She wondered if this was another of Louie's "two for one" nights that Baloo had conned her into.  No.  It couldn't be.  He hadn't cross dressed for today.  She opened her eyes. 

            "Mom?"  Molly said looking down at her in concern.

            "It's Okay, swe-" 

            "Mom?"  _another_ blond head intruded into her field of vision.  Rebecca blinked.

            "Am I going insane?  Baloo, is this one of your schemes."  A third, much larger head entered her field of vision. Becky was getting dizzy at them.

            "Nope Beckers, this is pigtail's scheme."

            "HEY!"  Stereophonic Mollysound.   Rebecca sat up, unsteadily.  

            "Baloo, I fainted here so you would catch me!"

            "Sorry Beckers-- I was kinda surprised."

            "Grr."  With that she got up and went to the couch and sat down.  Molly and… Molly sat down on the couch facing her, Dave sitting between them looking (and feeling) much like Poland between Russia and Germany.  The fact that each Molly immediately captured an arm in a possessive grip didn't help matters much. 

            "OK."  Rebecca said, then in a different voice. "OK.  Tell me what happened. Everything."  That was in the voice of She Who Must Be Obeyed.  Molly and Elizabeth both started, sometimes separately sometimes in unison.  

            By the time they were finished, everyone was looking at them.  This explanation was longer so even Kit and Baloo hadn't heard it all. Becky looked at Molly, and paused, thinking of what best to say.

            "YOU TOUCHED THE CRATE?  DIDN'T I TELL YOU NOT TO TOUCH THE CRATE!  NO WONDER COLONOL SPIGOT GOT SO ANGRY, DO-"

            "_BECKERS!_"  She stopped at Baloo's bellow.  The gray bear had detected the warning signs of an all night rant, and decided to short circuit it.

            "Pigtails didn't mean anything,  and if Spiggie was so worried about it, he should have told us-- heck _I_ could have been the one."  Everyone shared the vision of two Baloo's and shook their heads.  Becky shuddered.  She'd go broke in food bills alone…

            "So what do we do?"  Molly asked. Elizabeth chimed in. 

            "What if I'm going to… go poof."  She said.  She said it with as much offhandedness as she could muster, but every adult in the room, especially Becky, saw the fear behind the brave façade. 

            "You won't go Poof!"   Rebecca said with far more certitude than she felt.  

            Elizabeth frowned, and Rebecca was reminded of how much her daughter hated to be talked down to-- or lied to.  She hastily amended her statement.

            "Because I don't think Spigot would want…you so badly if you would just go poof on your own."

            "And they have Dr. O'Bowen"  Elizabeth said.  "If we could rescue him, we could find out for certain!"

            "_WE_ are not rescuing anyone."  Becky said.  "_You _are _both _grounded for not telling me about this."

            "MOM!"  Stereophonic Molly's again.  

            "And _I_ am going to call the police right now."  She marched over to the phone and picked it up.

            "Operator, get me the police."  She waited.  "Hello, This is Rebecca Cunningham. I would like to report a kidnapping." There was a pause.  "Yes, Dr. O'Bowen.  Who?  My daughters."  She started tapping her foot. "Yes, I used to have only one, but now I have two because they were duplicated."  Another pause, "WHAT? No I will not share what I'm drinking with you!  Same to you bub!"  She slammed the phone down. Baloo looked at her.

            "Beckers-- there's a time to tell the truth an a time ta lie… that was a time ta lie."

            "Thanks a lot Baloo."  Becky gritted. 

            "So what do we do?" Molly asked. 

            "Well, shouldn't someone call the university?" Dave said practically.  "We don't _know_ that the professor is officially kidnapped. Maybe they called him in to help them."  Everyone looked at Dave, and he shrugged. "Why not?  I'm not saying he isn't kidnapped right now, but they might have called him in above board."  

            "That's possible…" Kit said, "But it still doesn't help us find him."  It was then, with a tremendous CRASH, that the doors flew open, being filled with the bulk of Trader Moe's goons and the only slightly smaller guns they were carrying.

            "Here she is boss!" 

            "Yeah, here she both is."

            "Boss?"

            "Will you get off of my FOOT!"  Trader Moe said.

            "Yeah, you get off my foot!"

            "Duh, but I'm not on your foot. I'm on the bosses."

            "Oh, okay."

            "Get off of MY FOOT RIGHT NOW YOUZ GOONS!"  Moe bellowed.    The goons hopped off, causing a minor tremor, but unfortunately still pointing the guns at all concerned.

            "Well, here's the kid-- and da spare."   He said.

            "Yeah, du spare."

            "Oh year, like a tire."

            "Yah, like a tire."

            "WILL YOUSE SHUT UP!"  Moe seemed to have difficulty talking for a moment, then pointed at Molly and Elizabeth.

            "You two, you're coming with me."

            "Oh no they're not buster!" Rebecca said, moving in front of the two teens.

            "Oh really?"

            "Yeah, Really," Baloo and Kit chorused, standing in front of the women.  Moe grinned and waved.  All of a sudden guns were now being pointed directly at Kit and Baloo.

            "Mom…"  Molly and Elizabeth said.

            "I know." Rebecca said and nodded.  "Baloo, Kit.  We're going with them."

            "WHAT! BOSSLADY, ARE YOU COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR MIND!"

            "And I suppose you're going to catch bullets with your teeth like you did the fish at Louie's Fish Fillets Race?"  Becky said angrily.  "They have GUNS Baloo!"  

            "Yeah, we have guns…"

            "Duh Yeah, big ones."

            "And they're loaded this time."

            "Oh yeah, they have bullets-"  Becky spun around to face the two goons.

            "I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU!!!"

            One slapped the other.

            "Yeah, she wasn't talking to you."

            "Oh yeah."

            "WILL YOU BOTH SHUT UP!  YOU, LADY, YOUR KIDS, HERE. NOW!  TIE EVERYONE ELSE UP!"  Moe screamed, actually grabbing his hat off his head and chewing the brim. Baloo, Kathy, Kit and Dave submitted to it with ill grace, and watched as Becky and the others were bundled out of the apartment.  

            "Becky was right, Baloo." Kit said, "Now lets-Dave, where are you going?"  Dave was furiously chairhopping his way to the window. 

            "I want to see what car their using." The teen said, and then paused.  "OK.  That won't be hard to follow." 

            "Why?"

            "It's a lime green and orange truck."

            "Ouch." Baloo said at the image, as he was desperately pulling at his bonds. "Dang, these are…tight."  He grunted.

            "Hang on."  Kathy said.  She stomped her right shoe to the ground, and with a snickt a small blade appeared. "Katy said that she was tired of getting tied up all the time, so she bought these special shoes for everyone in the family."  Baloo whistled.  

            "Maybe I'd better thank her."  

            "Baloo."  Kit said.  "Remember the last date you had…with her?"

            "I…can't say that I have…"  Kit continued, 

            "And Ms. Cunningham because you got the dates mixed up."    Baloo paled as his (until then) successful attempt to forget the night failed and the horrifying memory came back.  He rallied bravely.

            "Kit, it wasn't that bad."

            "Baloo, you had barricaded yourself into the bathroom, and I got a rope down to the window just in time for you to get out before Becky and Katy broke the door down." 

            Baloo shuddered at the memory. 

            "Maybe she's forgotten."

            "Well, it has been a while since she's asked for any of your fur to put in a voodoo doll."  Kathy said as she worked on her bonds. 

            "Katy or Becky?"

            "Both."  Kathy said.  "There!  I got it."

            "Lets go and rescue them!"  Dave said.

            In the back of the truck, Rebecca tried to find a comfortable place to sit. Molly and Elizabeth were having the same struggle. They were all trussed up like mummies-- the goons evidently did know how to tie knots, if nothing else. 

            "So."  Becky said. "You both remember everything?"  
            "Yeah." Molly said.  "But not since we were… copied?"

            "Yeah." Elizabeth said.  Becky nodded.

            "So why didn't you tell me?"

            "Mom, you _fainted_."  Elizabeth said in some shock.  

            "Well, if you had told me earlier, I could have gotten over it earlier."  Becky said.

            "I… didn't want to." Elizabeth replied.  "Part of it was because I didn't want to scare you…but I… I wanted to be your daughter, at least in pretend."  Elizabeth said.  Molly and Becky both saw the unshed tears in her eyes.  "I just wanted to pretend that for a while."  She said softly.


	9. Chapter VIII

            "You _are_ my daughter."  Rebecca said.  "I'm not going to tell you that this isn't…odd, but you are everything Molly is, and that makes you my Daughter."  She smiled, "I'm just happy this didn't happen when you were six."

            "What _is_ it with me and six?"  Molly said.  "Everyone acts like I was a demon!"

            "You were… energetic."  Rebecca said, "Of course."  She continued, a smile on her face, "I can't tell you how to resolve the Dave problem." Both Molly's frowned.

            "He's mine." Molly said.  Elizabeth swelled up slightly.  Becky decided to intercede. 

            "Well you could saw him in half."  

            "_Mom!_"  Elizabeth got a look on her face.

            "Of course, if the… machine, idol, whatever works, we could make two Daves."

            "No!"  Rebecca said, "At least not unless Dave says yes." She amended with a silent prayer.

            Another jerk of the truck compartment bounced them around, even as they felt the brakes being applied—poorly.  A final lurch accompanied an unfortunate crunching sound.  Moe's voice percolated back into the compartment.

            "AAAAAA!!!!  YOU'SE GOONS! THAT WAS MY CAR!"

            "Yeah, his car!"

            "But it's smaller now!"

            "Yeah, a clown car."  The odd munching sound was apparently someone chewing the upholstery.  Then, the rear of the truck was opened, and the three were unceremoniously taking out of the truck and marched  to the same warehouse Molly had been to last. 

            Inside, the woman and girls stood, blinking in the dim light, almost dark compared to the bright sun outside. Finally, their eyes readjusted and they saw the Thembrian Idol standing on a table, with Spigot, Dunder, and Dr. O'Bowen standing by it—well, O'Bowen was tied up, but he was standing…or leaning against a wall.  

            "Yesth!"  A familiar voice spluttered. "Youth have tried to deny the Glorious Thembrian peoples final victory, but no more!"

            "Oh Goody."  Becky said, "Colonel Sewer." 

            "Spigot!  Spigot!"  The aforementioned Colonel strode up and started to wag his finger in Becky's…waist.  Then paused and cleared his throat, waiting until Dunder brought a stepladder, and then continued his rant.

            "Yesth! You corrupt Uslanders attempted to steal MY glory, but I _will_ return this to the High Marshall and the Mommyland!"  Spigot pointed to the idol. "Now, the High Marshal will be able to finally do what he has desired to do all his life!"

            "Conquer Usland?"  Becky asked.

            "Get competent help?"  Both Molly's said at once.  

            "NO!  DUNDERRRRR!!!!!"  Dunder looked at them as he helped Spigot back onto the ground.

            "The High Marshal,"  Dunder supplied helpfully, "Wants to be able to fish at the same time he has to be in those boring meetings."  That stopped everyone.

            "He's…doing this…to my daughter… because he wants to play _hooky?"_  Remembering a certain grounding a year ago, Molly and Elizabeth turned to their mother.

            "See Mom… I told you," Molly started.

            "Everybody _does_ do it."  Elizabeth finished.  

            "Welse, I'm doing it for the money." Moe said, "Glasses!"  he shouted at O'Bowen, "What do we have to do to get rid of the spare?"  Elizabeth paled. 

            "Well… the two should become one…if they are both touching the Idol at the conjunction."  Moe grinned.

            "OK boyse… take the two ladies to the idol."

            "Yeah, take them to the idol.."  The gorilla said. 

            "Mom…" Both Molly's said, a sudden quaver in their voice. 

***

            Meanwhile, everyone had managed to get free, courtesy of Katy's gift.  Piling into Becky's car, they zipped off down the road, breaking a dozen traffic regulations in the process.  This being a time that Kit would have loved to lead a dozen angry cops to their destination…. There wasn't one to be found.

            "Typical" The pilot muttered, as he fishtailed around another corner.

            "We're coming, Beckers…"  Baloo said, "And Pigtails…both of 'em."  He finished.  Dave wasn't saying anything, saving his breath for prayer.

            They were heading for the waterfront—Kit didn't think Moe would move the idol far from the warehouse—he had to realize that hanging onto Molly, even one of them, was a difficult enough process without parading them through the city, and-

            "THERE!"  Dave bellowed, pointing at the garish truck, which had evidently rear-ended another car, pushed forward into a light poll.  Kit grinned.  That proved it—Moe had let his goons drive again.  

            "Ready everyone?"  They all nodded, and then, with a _crack _of ionized air, a bolt of lambent energy stabbed into the sky.

            "We don't have a lot of time."  Baloo said, then. "Let's go rescue our Molly's, everyone."


	10. Chapter IX THE END!

            Dr. O'Bowen looked more than a little nervous as a bolt of energy soared from the Idol, into the sky…through the roof of the building.  Said ceiling started to smolder, casting off rancid smoke.

            "I told you that you should put it outside!"  The monkey said plaintavly. 

            "Duh, you shut up…"  

            "Yeah, shut up…"

            "Or we'll hit you.  A lot."

            "WILL YOUSE BOTH SHUT UP!"  Moe screamed, then pointed at Molly…both of them. "Get them!"  He grinned, "Remember, the egghead said touch the spare first…"

            "Yeah."

            "Uh boss?"

            "WHAT!"

            "Which one's the spare?"  Moe stopped at that.

            "I am!"  Elizabeth said.  Molly got a grin on her face and waited until the goons had grabbed Elizabeth. 

            "You just want to hog the credit!"  She said, "I'm the spare!"  The goons blinked.  Molly frowned. Maybe she had used to many words. "Me clone, her original."  The goons blinked and put Elizabeth down.  

            "Dah, you come here…"

            "Oh yeah, Come here…"

            "But wait a minute, what if she's lying?"  Elizabeth asked.  "You'd better call the police and find out for certain."   The goons blinked at each other. Elizabeth continued, "Because the police help you find lost people, so they'd know where to get the spare." The goons smiled with understanding and walked towards the office.  Moe seemed unable to breath, leaving Spigot to speak.

            "Whath are you DOING!"

            "Calling the cops."

            "Yeah, the cops." 

            "To find the spare."  While this illuminating conversation was going on, Rebecca was looking up with a nervous expression at the cheery little flames dancing around the ceiling.

            "Baloo…"  She said.              Moe screamed, bouncing from one foot to the other. Walking forward, he grabbed Molly and pulled her over to the Gorilla.

            "Here!  She's the one!  Take her!"

            "But I'm-"  Molly said as she helplessly struggled in the goons arms.

            It was at that moment that the door burst open and Baloo, Kit, Dave and Kathy charged in.  Moe looked up in shock, then screamed.

            "Git 'Em!"

            "Yeah, Okidoki!"  The Gorilla said…and dropped Molly.  Moe screamed even louder.

            "No, don't drop the brat!"  Spigot meanwhile was backing off before a very angry Kathy.  She reached down and grabbed the smaller colonel, and smiled at him.  

            "Hello, General Grease Trap."

            "Spigot!"  Kathy got a bigger smile. 

            "You know… my family has some wolf in it…so how about we compromise on a name…"

            "What name?"  Spigot said, kicking ineffectually. 

            "Oh….I'm thinking…Lunch."

            "DUNDERRRR!!!!!"  Dunder looked over at Spigot and then back to Baloo.

            "Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Baloo, I have to go help the Colonel.  You can go on and rescue the young ladies."

            "Why thanks Dunder…"  Baloo said, charging past him. Dunder sighed and went off to save Colonel Spigot…and no doubt get sentenced to a firing squad…again. 

            Meanwhile, Kit was dancing around the Rhino, grinning at him. 

            "Look out!"  Kit shouted in fear.

            "Ah…huh?"  The Rhino asked. 

            "The fuzz, the police!  They're after your boss!"  

            "Huh?"  He turned around, as Kit hit him from behind, as hard as possible.  Like a mighty tree, the goon toppled….onto Rebecca.

            "Get, Him….OFF OF ME!"  She screamed.

            "Oops…sorry Ms. Cunningham."  Kit said, and started pulling on the goon, when suddenly, a volley of machine gun bullets stabbed out, barely missing any of the participants.  

            "ALL RIGHTS! DATS IT!"  Moe snarled, holding his machine gun.  "ALL OF YOUSE!  STAND UP AND DON'T MOVE OR I DRILL YA ALL!"  he turned to Dr. O'Bowens.  "DOC!  WILL IT STILL WORK?"  The doctor nodded, looking at the sparking, glowing, idol.  He grinned, and looked over to where the two Molly's had been, and raised his voice.

            "OK GOILS…IF YOU DON'T WANT YOUR MOM TO HAVE A CAREER AS SWISS CHEESE, I WANT YOU OUT BY THE COUNT OF THREE."  He raised his gun to the helplessly pinned Rebecca.

            "One…"

            "Molly Elizabeth Cunningham!"  She shouted, "Don't you dare come out into the open." 

            "Two…"

            "Here we are."  Stereophonic Mollysound again.  A grin on his face, Moe turned…and then lost it, looking at the two grinning Molly's.  The two grinning Molly's who were holding a fire hose. 

            "What's dat for?"  He asked.  With twin Maniacal grins, worse then the high diver queen incident, worse then the Henry incident…even worse then the infamous Chemistry Lab Incident when the entire Cape Suzzette fire department had been called out.  In fact, Kit felt a desire to run for the hills… Molly Had a Plan.  Both Of Her. 

            And This Was Not Necessarily a Good Thing.  

            "Do you know what happens to something hot when it's hit with ice cold water?"  Elizabeth asked. Moe abruptly dropped his gun. 

            "No…hey, don't Do THA-"  His shout was interrupted as Molly turned the hose on full, and Elizabeth directed it to the idol, which put on an enthusiastic light display….before exploding into a thousand pieces. The shock wave picked Moe up and tossed him into the wall, where he went out like a light, but two other spears of energy sought out their targets…and connected.   

            The light went down…and everyone rubbed their abused eyes, as Molly and Elizabeth put out the fire on the ceiling.   Baloo looked over at Spigot, still hanging from Kathy's grip.  The bear took in the whole scene, and grinned.

            "Yah know Spiggie… if you leave right now… I might be tempted to agree with what ever you say if anyone asks me…"

            "Oh that's very good, Colonel." Dunder supplied helpfully. "That way the High Marshal will only have you shot once!"  Spigot opened his mouth, then looked up at Kathy, who made a whole production of licking her chops.  He deflated. 

            "Very well…but you have not heard the last of Me, Colonel Spigot!"  He paused. 

            "Uh…"  

            "_What!"  _Becky snarled. 

            "Oh, The Glorious People's Air Force is out of money." Dunder said, "Could we borrow air fare?"  Grumbling, Becky gave it to them, anything to get them out of town. Then, as they left, her face changed, and turned bright red.

            "That…that means that they don't have any money!  The check, the check will bounce, when I get my hands on them-"

            "Relax, Beckers."  Baloo said, "Ya got your two kids…an that's what's important."

            "Yeah!" Elizabeth said. She and Molly had managed to teleport themselves, or teleport Dave to them, where each one had an arm, with no sign of relinquishing it.  Dave looked…nervous. 

            "Well…" Becky said, when Molly piped up.

            "And this is so great—Elizabeth can go to school on Monday and Tuesday, and I'll do it, Thursday and Friday, and we can split the middle…we'll ha-"

            "Hold on, young ladies!" Becky said. "You're both attending school..full time!"

            "MOM!" 

            "Don't Mom me, or I'll remember why I was thinking of grounding you!"  Both Molly's subsided.  Becky continued.  "And About Moe…"

            "Don't worry Beckers…he'll get his." Baloo said, looking down in great good humor. "In fact, lets go…he's gonna be loud when he wakes up."  Becky nodded, and everyone started to migrate out.

            "So, Dave…what are you doing tomorrow..." Molly asked. Elizabeth looked at him. 

            "Yes, what _are_ you doing tomorrow."  Dave gulped. 

            "I don't know, but I think you're going to tell me?"  He asked, and gulped again, as he realized that both girls were eyeing him…like they were drawing dotted lines on him to see who got what.  He would have gulped a third time, except his throat was _way_ too dry. 

            Moe woke up to the sound of his goons.

            "Hey, he's awake!"

            "Yeah, his eyes are open!  Won't he be happy?"

            "Happy?  HAPPY!" Moe snarled, leaping up, "Why should I be happy?  The idol is busted the, the, the…."  He shook his head, in horror, but the sight stayed the same. 

            Eight goons.  Four Gorillas, and Four Rhinos…all of them looking at him with identical looks of  idiocy.  

            "See? Now we'll always be with you!"

            "Yeah, Always"

            "Asleep and Awake…"  

            "Everywhere!"

            There were times to yell, and there were times to scream inarticulately and run for the hills.  Moe chose the latter.  Leaving a trail of dust, pursued by his hulking army of goons, he headed inland…he figured they would give up, and if they didn't…Moe could keep running for a while…for a long while.

            "Hey Boss!"

            "WAIT!"  and with that, the thundering herd vanished into the distance.

            EPILOGUE.

            James McWhirter III had enjoyed teaching science…a nice class full of well behaved students.  Until…Until…Molly Cunningham arrived.  He'd made the mistake of mentioning that teaching a girl science was like teaching a cat to read…and now, she positively lived for the moment she could catch him in an error.   She also lived for the moment she could exceed his lesson plan…in fact, in his charitable moments, he had to admit that she was practically at the college level…which didn't help his ulcer any.

            Still, this was the last class she would have with him, and it was the last class of  the day.  Had a new student today, though.  Elizabeth Cunningham…  A relative of hers?  

            "Odd."  He said, ignoring the sound of the students entering the room.  She'd never mentioned having a cousin.  He looked up over the class.  There was Dave (poor fool), there was Molly, there was Molly-  He blinked. He rubbed his eyes.  He blinked again. 

            Two Molly's.  One on each side of Dave.  Dressed in the same style of dress.  Each one with one ribbon, of the same color, on one ear…a mirror image of each other.  

            "Hello…You are…"

            "Elizabeth, sir."  The one he'd sworn was Molly chirped.  She was polite…but then so was Molly. 

            "Are you related?"  They looked at each other, then turned back to him.

            "Yes."

            "Identical twins."

            "Big mix up at the hospital."

            "I've been living with missionaries"

            "But now we know about her."

            "So I'm here!"  Each voice was identical to the other…the sense of humor was identical…the…three months to the end of the _year…_

            "Ahem."  He said, "Well, that's very nice…and could you all read chapter 8… I need to finish just a little paperwork."  The students got out their books, as McWhirter dug in his desk.  Where…ah yes, here it was.

            ARE YOU BORED WITH LIFE?  TRY A CAREER IN DYNAMITE TESTING!

            Yes, that was what he needed.  Less stress.  Far, _Far_ less stress. He could call their number during lunch….  He looked up at Dave, and saw as Molly patted him on the hand, as Elizabeth glared at her and said something that sounded for all the world like:

            "This is _my_ time… you get him at 3:30 and not one minute before."  Well, whatever it was, maybe he should give Dave the number as well…

            The End?


End file.
